Surgical apparatus



F. B. TRUAX SURGICAL APPARATUS I June 17,

Filed May is. 1921 GUM Mg 5 Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED "runs FLORENCE B. TRUAX, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

SURGICAL APPARATUS.

Application filed May is,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FLORENCE B. TRUAX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to an appliance for delivery to the body of a patient of a fluid such as saline solution now generally used by the medical profession after operative or other cases.

It is of extreme importance that this fluid be delivered to the patients body at a certain'prescribed temperature. It likewise is necessary that the fluid be delivered at a comparatively slow rate which approximates forty drops per minute, this being usually as much as patients body can absorb. The delivery of a cold fluid, especially in the case of a sub-normal patient, would be dangerous inasmuch as the body does not absorb cold fluids and furthermore, they cause internal accumulations of gas in the body of a patient. i

It is therefore, the prime object of my invention to provide an apparatus of this general type in which suitable provision is made for maintaining the saline solution or other fluid, which is to be delivered to the patients body at a predetermined and desirable temperature.

This is accomplished by the provision of a double walled receptacle which will maintain the fluid for a considerable length of time in its heated condition. The delivery tube which conducts this fluid from the re-.

ceptacle to the patients body is, in accordance with my invention, made somewhat-shorter than is usual in appliances of this type, the walls of this tubing being furthermore con siderably thicker. The dropper bulb which 1 of the bulb protecting cup.

is of standard form and which is interposed within the delivery tube for controlling the dispensing of the fluid, is in my invention,

insulated by a rubber hood or cover, thereby conserving the heat at this point, thus effecting a considerable saving of the heat of the fluid and rendering this appliance considerably more efiicient. I

Cooperating with the short delivery tub hereinafter referred to, I provide an adjustable stand for supporting the container or receptacle, which stand may be adjusted to the proper height to accommodate this 1921. Serial No. 470,510.

appliance to the conditions prevalent atthe time of its use. Y

The object of this invention has been sought to be obtained by the use'of thermos bottles, acting as containers and also by the use of electric heaters surrounding the delivery tube. others have met with little success because they were inadaptable to the varying con This arrangement and many ditions prevailing where it was necessary .to use this appliance.

As stated hereinbefore the container which forms a part of this invention is in the form of a double walled can, the space between the walls thereof being preferably in the form of a vacuum. The inside of the can is straight walled, thereby permitting easy access to the inside from the open ,ing of the can and permitting the can to bequickly. and easily sterilized and made ready for immediate'use again.

I do not claim as my invention the dropper bulb inasmuch as the bulb illustrated in my invention is of the usual standard construction. I do, however, claim as newthe arrangement wherein the fluid is retained in its heated condition, by use of an insulated receptacle and heavy walled short delivery tube, together with the adjustable rack 00- operating therewith. By provision of this adjustable rack or stand I am enabled to use a tube somewhat shorter thanthat now generally employed.

The various features of my invention will be made more apparent in the accompanying specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an appliance constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the receptacle,

Fig. 3is a sectional view partly in elevation of the dropper and cover, and- Fig. 4 is a disassembled perspective View In the drawings the appliance consists primarily of a container C, a delivery tube .D, dropper bulb E, and supportingstand F.

thereby insulating the contents of the container from without thus enabling the temperature of the contents to be kept for a considerable length of time at the desired pro-determined degree. For closing the open end of the container there is a. rubber cork 13 having a handle 14. This rubber cork sits on a circumferential rib 15 pressed inwardly from the inner Wall 11. The walls of the container are provided adjacent the bottom with an outlet spout 16 through which the fluid contained therein may pass to the delivery tube D.

Thedelivery tube D is preferably made of rubber and in two sections such as illustrated particularly in Fig. 1, to permit the interposition of the glass dropper bulb E. As shown inFig. 3 this bulb E has its ends 17. preferably smaller than is usual so that the, ends of the delivery tube D may be forced;thereon. As stated hereinbefore, the walls of the delivery tube D are considerably thicker than usual thereby insulating the "fluid. contained therein from without. Attached to the end of the delivery tube D is a rectal tube 18 which maybe of the usual type. and construction.

For. insulating the dropper bulb E I provide. ahood or cover 19 halved centrally as at'QO toenable thesame to he slipped over the ends of the dropper bulb before it is positioned in the delivery tube D. This hood or cover is formed of heavy soft rubber and insulates the dropper bulb E so as to conserve the heat of the fluid contained therein.

The stand or support F comprises a base 21, and; apair of telescoping members 22 and 23v projecting therefrom. A set screw 24 secures the member 23 in its adjusted position with respect to the member 22. A hook 25 cooperates with an eye 26 formed on the container C, to attach the container to the supportingstand. A lug 27 secured to the container at its bottom also abuts the sup porting stand, to assist in maintaining the container in itsupright position.

In use. the saline solution or other fluid is. placed in the container G and the supporting. stand properly adjusted. It is evident that by providing means adjustable in height for supporting thecontainer C that a shorter length delivery tube D will suffice. The fluid is thoroughly insulated in the container C and-will be maintained at an even temperature. The delivery tube as has been stated, is formed of thick Walls, while the dropper bulb. E is insulated by the hood or cover 19. It therefore follows that the saline solution is maintained at the proper temperature for a considerable length of time.

I reserve the right to make such changes and modifications as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An insulated surgical irrigating unit.

thick walls, a dropper bulb connected tosaid tube, a rubber insulating hood covering saiddropper tube and means for supporting said container.

3. A surgical appliance of the. class. described comprising a container, said container having spaced Walls, forming a vacuum therebetween, a rubber stopper. closing the open end of said receptacle, said receptaclebeing formed with an outletopening, a delivery tube connectedto said outlet opening, the walls of said tube-being.

comparatively thick, a dropper bulb connected to said tube, a hood forfsaid dropper bulb formed in two halves and of; heavy rubber and .an adj ustablev stand forv supporting said container.

FLORENCE B. TRUAX. 

